Pathetic Humanity
by Your Beating Heart
Summary: Frayed restraint stretched farther, Levi was tired of petty banter. "What is it that you want?" he asked. "That's not the question," said Kenny. "It isn't what I want. It's what you want. I'm giving you a choice, Levi. Heir to the throne or Humanity's Miracle?" But Levi knew whichever choice he made would be wrong. **Mature content! **SPOILERS! Non-con:ErenxMP Enforced: Ereri/Riren


I _cannot_ believe I wrote something so horrible...

**WARNINGS:** Non-con! Not all the way. Exhibition. **Rating: M** for sexual content! And language. **_SPOILERS to CH 59_!** If you haven't been keeping up with SnK, then this probably won't even make sense to you! _  
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The small distance in this dimly lit underground dungeon that divided Levi from his subordinates seemed an ever-length, boundless separation. Not even Levi's maneuvering gear could cross him that gap. Bound and gagged, his subordinates pleaded with their eyes for Levi to rescue them. Levi's boots remained planted. Keeping a cool head in critical situations is an inborn talent. However, that talent was tested. The mere existence of the man standing behind his subordinates stretched Levi's restraint threadbare.

"Levi. Strike a deal with me," said the man that should be dead, Throat-Slasher Kenny. That boundless separation now seemed claustrophobic. Being close to Kenny was dangerous, particularly for Levi. But the reverse was the same. Both were skating thin ice, and with each second that passed Levi could hear the ice ominously crack beneath his feet. The countdown to ruin was set.

"Whether or not we strike a deal depends on your terms," Levi coolly said. "The guns aimed at my head make me hesitant to draw an agreement."

Brandished with their anti-gear, the two MPs behind Levi pointed their musket pistols at the back of his skull. These pigs have fantasized about blowing Levi's head clean from his shoulders for years, but Kenny wanted something from Levi. _Alive_.

"Overly cautious as usual." With a single offhand wave of Kenny's hand the guns lowered. "But that _is_ how I trained you— careful where you tread, consider all possibilities before choosing a course of action, and most importantly…claw your way to the top where you can observe your enemy from the high ground."

"I'll take a rain check on the lecture."

"My lectures used to be what you looked forward to," Kenny reminded him.

"I didn't take you for the sentimental type."

Kenny fronted a smile. "You're my pride. Always will be. Even as I kill you."

Shrugging, Levi responded, "If you don't die first."

"Yes, well, at the moment you're nothing but a small rat trapped in my claws. The odds are in my favor." Stepping between Krista and Eren, Kenny set a hand on each of their shoulders. "The only leverage the Survey Corps had is now in the hands of the Military Police. What lengths are you willing to go to get them back?"

"That falls on you," Levi told him.

"Are those your orders? Use whatever means necessary to get back your subordinates?" sneered Kenny. "Is that what you've become, Levi? The Survey Corps' dog—? Their. Very. Small. Dog?"

Frayed restraint stretched farther, Levi was tired of petty banter. They were going in circles, getting nowhere, and the ice was still fissuring beneath his boots. Action was necessary. "What is it that you want, Kenny?"

"That's not the question," said Kenny. "It isn't what I want. It's what _you_ want. I'm giving you a choice, Levi. Heir to the throne or Humanity's Miracle?"

Levi couldn't say he expected that. "You're giving me a choice?"

"I know you've grown up, but surely your hearing hasn't gone bad." When Levi didn't give an answer right away, Kenny snapped, "We don't have all day, runt. Decide."

"I'm not an idiot," muttered Levi. "You don't expect me to believe that you'll willingly give up one with no strings attached."

"I never said it was free."

"What's the price?"

"Leave it to gamble," said Kenny. "The price is irrelevant. You'll pay whatever it is you have to."

Levi didn't like having his strings pulled, and as much as he hated to admit it, Kenny was right. Levi would do whatever it took to get back his subordinates. But even an idiot with a head as hollow as the gun barrels that threaten Levi now would realize any choice Levi made would be the wrong one. And Levi wasn't looking forward to the outcome. "Give me Blondie."

"How predictable." Undoing Krista's bonds, Kenny released her, and she retreated to Levi's side, cowering by his shoulder.

Taking the throne was Krista's responsibility. Keeping her alive and on their side was imperative. Undeniably, Eren had his worth, but if all went according to plan, both Levi's subordinates would escape relatively unscathed. Outside waited the rest of Squad Levi. The simple fact of the matter was that momentarily Levi was cornered. But an opening for escape always surfaces. Levi merely needed to humor Kenny a bit longer and figure the way out.

"Every choice that you make has a consequence," remarked Kenny, "and there's no way to know the result beforehand. Your words, correct?"

"More or less."

"Then you couldn't have known this outcome."

Holding out an open hand to Krista was Reiss. "Come, Historia. I won't let you suffer any longer."

Uncertainly, Krista glanced up at Levi.

"Didn't that man hurt you?" asked Reiss.

Still, Krista looked up at Levi, as if waiting for him to say something. Was it fear of him that kept her by his shoulder? Did he frighten her so badly that she couldn't trust him anymore? "It's your choice," Levi told her. "You can trust him, or you can trust me."

She made her choice. Krista stepped out from behind Levi and into Reiss' arms. "I'm sorry…" she regretfully murmured, like she truly meant it. But if she truly meant it, she wouldn't have made that choice. Reiss led her from the room, out of sight. Then, sighing, Levi faced Kenny once more.

"You got what was coming to you," said Kenny, mouth twitching. "Who could blame her for resenting you."

Levi crossed his arms. "You're probably right."

"I wonder what your other subordinate thinks of your choice. Does he resent you for picking Historia?"

Internally, Levi kicked himself. This was never about choosing Krista or Eren. Kenny knew exactly which choice Levi would make before he proposed the ultimatum. This was about Levi and Eren— Humanity's Strongest and Humanity's Last Hope, because what's strength without hope? Or vice versa? Levi chose wrong. It was Eren. It was always Eren. Now the trust established between Eren and Levi was in jeopardy— if only for a little longer, Eren had to trust Levi, then he would be free to question Levi all he wanted.

Roughly clutching Eren's chin, fingertips deeply digging into his jaw, Kenny pulled his face forward. "I heard about the court trial," he casually commented. "They said you beat this kid senseless. A crafty ploy— I wasn't surprised. But I wonder… did his suffering affect you at all?" Flashing darkly, his eyes flipped to Levi. "Perhaps we should have our own trial and find out."

Levi didn't even blink an eye as Kenny hurled a ruthless fist into Eren's face. His nose sickeningly crunched under Kenny's knuckles, a fountain of blood freely flowing down his chin. And Levi watched— not a single fault cracking his impassive mask. As if he'd taken a massive chunk out of fresh meat, blood dribbled pathetically from the corners of Eren's mouth where his gag cut into his flesh, the lower half of his face soaked red. His intense eyes faded in agony. Eren looked smaller and more broken than Levi had seen him. Something bubbled deep, deep down inside Levi, and his hands balled into fists suppressing it, nails piercing his palms. Levi held stock-still.

Fisting a handful of Eren's thick hair, Kenny threw him to the ground. Eren slapped hard against the stone floor. Levi could hear the air rush out his lungs and his bones crack in objection. Levi's nails dug deeper into his flesh—paper-thin restraint. Lifting a boot, Kenny drove the toe of it in Eren's gut. Throttled, Eren folded into himself, curling inward like a dying insect. At last Kenny stopped. The bubbles in Levi simmered flat, and his fists loosened.

"Casually watching your subordinate get beaten like that, most people would think that you're inhuman…" Kenny smiled, and Levi felt an unpromising chill at the tip of his spine and heard another icy creak. "But I've known you, Levi. And I know the way you think. By acting composed, you figure that I'll run out of steam since I'm looking to get a reaction from you, am I right?"

"You could be right, or you could be wrong," dully remarked Levi. "It's what you think that counts. What I say makes no difference."

Kenny laughed at him. "Spoken like a true diplomat." Then he nodded in agreement. "You're right. Nobody likes being proven wrong." He paused, abruptly shifting topic. "You've witnessed the unbearable pain suffered by those people you call your comrades enough times to be desensitized to it. It's no longer an effective trigger." An MP took Eren's legs, pulling his knees apart. "How about pleasure?"

Ungentle palms groped Eren's thighs— to which Eren duly responded by squeezing his legs together and viciously growling. His lean legs weren't powerful enough—hands kept them spread in an obscene display. Levi fell back a step. This was much worse than anything he could have anticipated. He knew Kenny was a merciless, psychotic bastard, who thrived on both the physical and mental torment and turmoil of other people, but this… this was lower than Levi thought anybody would be willing to go. But Kenny wasn't just anybody. This was about to get really ugly, really fast.

Eren's most intimate places were assaulted through his clothes, and blood surged to Eren's head. He was dizzy, stomach roiling with humiliation. Thrashing and furiously flaying, shackles rattled and beat against the stone floor. His muscles trembled with the determined effort of fighting against his unrelenting chains. Eren was going to _kill_ _everyone!_ He was going to _rip_ them apart limb from—

"Look at your superior and beg him with your eyes to save you," the MP demanded Eren.

Turning the opposite way, Eren refused to look at Levi. As if to coax him to obey, a hand stroked Eren through his trousers. Eren bit back a reflexive gasp. Anger broiled. _What is this bullshit? _Then Eren was angry with himself for reacting. Suddenly, he was grabbed, and the fist clutched around him was strong. Painful. Eren rasped a distinct cry, unable to bite it back this time.

"I said look at him," the MP growled.

Halfheartedly, Eren turned his head to Levi. But with his chin tilted down, dark hair shadowing his face, Levi wouldn't meet Eren's eyes.

"How does it feel watching your subordinate squirm in pleasure from being handled by my subordinates?" said Kenny. "Should I order them to take him completely?"

After being mute for most of the assault, finally Levi spoke. "You would force them onto a kid to get a reaction from me? Why?"

"Many reasons, Levi. But primarily I want you to submit to me."

Levi's expression darkened. "And you think you'll get that satisfaction by going through _him?_" He scoffed the word "him", as if Eren were a smear of dirt blemishing his otherwise spotless shirt. "That little shit is nothing to me. I just don't want to watch something so filthy."

"I'll test the truth in that claim."

_Click._ Eren's belt buckle was undone, his trousers pulled open. Like sinking stone, Eren's heart dropped out his stomach. Were they actually going to go through with this? His pants were peeled low on his hips, and his legs spread wider. Putting up as much fight as a person in heavy chains could, Eren lobbed a boot at the men touching him. His kneecaps locked around an MP's head, squeezing around his skull, hell-bent on crumbling the bone to pieces, but his legs were quickly grabbed before he could get that satisfaction.

Then the waistband of Eren's underwear was tugged at. Reality hit hard. As if he'd been experiencing everything up until now from a detached dream, he was suddenly hurled into a crisp and intensified world. This was _actually_ happening to Eren. He was moments away from being conquered in a way so horrible that not even Eren's worst nightmares compared. Like a wild, trapped animal, Eren snarled threateningly. But a threat isn't effective from a person in chains. His clothes were pulled—

"Stop," broke in Levi, just before his clothes could be removed.

"Keep going," ordered Kenny.

The MP's mouth curled into an ugly smirk. Gathering the bottom of Eren's shirt into a bunch at his collar, the MP's hands fondled Eren's stomach, his chest. Stubbly lips scratched his skin, then crushed between gruff fingers.

"…Bastard," Eren seethed through his gag.

The MP foully grinned. "What was that, missy? I couldn't understand you through the strap in your mouth." He teased the taut band, then popped it against Eren's cheek. "Kinda kinky."

Eren glared, daring the MP with his eyes to go further, because the first chance Eren got he was going to fucking _slaughter_ this man—Gut him. The MP took on the dare. Fingers were no longer manipulating his chest, he felt teeth, a revolting, slimy tongue swirling circles. Eren saw red. And then there was fire— _Fire_ enveloped Eren. Did he find a way to shift into his titan without self-injury? No…he was still human. But his body was burning as if he had shifted. His blood was liquid flame pumping hotly through his veins. Every part of Eren was on fire! Was it anger? Humiliation? …Or something much, much worse?

Corroding his skin, blistering tracks were made lower on Eren's abdomen to his hips, meeting his waistband. Chains shook, loudly clanging as Eren's fighting was renewed. He was _not_ going to let these men have their way with him! He spat unintelligible curses around the bit in his mouth. He kicked and pitched his shoulders left then right, back then forth—What more could he do? With the gag on and his arms chained, he couldn't shift. He was helpless. Trapped. Exposed…

He glanced at Levi as forceful fingers wound around his untouched and most sensitive flesh. The captain had to have a plan. He always had a plan… but why was he just standing there, frozen? Why wasn't he doing anything? He wouldn't even look at Eren. Then, shadowed and unreadable, Levi's droopy, silver eyes flicked to Eren's face.

Eren tossed his head back. "Mmm," he groaned, blood pouring to his lower body. Static filled his mind. All he could think about was heat. Sweat trickled down the sides of his face. He needed more air! His lungs were excruciatingly aching—his gag was too constricting. Hopelessly clawing for breath through his nose, his entire chest heaved with each gasp. The fire raging below his waist was stoked and aggressively pumped. He swelled stiff, his back arching off the floor—

"_Kenny!_" snarled Levi.

Kenny raised a brow. "Is this upsetting for you?"

Taking a heavy step forward, the bubbles now fully boiling and brimming over, Levi's expression was black and murderous. "Tell them to get their filthy hands off him," he said in a voice disturbingly low and controlled, dripping with a lust for spilled blood, "before I sever them from their wrists."

"That's a more gratifying reaction. Much better." Kenny waved his hand, signal for the MPs to carry on. The grip stroking Eren increased vigor. Eren couldn't handle much more of it. His tensed legs pressed against the holds on his knees, and his hips convulsed—

"Wait…"

Time froze. The countdown had paused. Everything was absolutely still except Eren's chest, which was still pumping chaotically for air. The audible defeat in Levi's voice had been the last thing anyone expected. It pierced louder than a shout and had greater impact than a gunshot. Levi was center stage, all eyes on him. But Levi was silent, stare downcast, shirking their probing looks. Then he did the unthinkable. He deliberately lowered to his knees.

"A surrender?" asked Kenny.

There wasn't a reply, but Levi's head hung a fraction lower—a fine answer for Kenny. Stepping up to Levi's small crouched form, Kenny towered over him, unsmiling. His hand shot out, snatching Levi's chin and roughly jerking his face upward. Kenny searched Levi's eyes for some kind of spirit or defiance, but he was quenched. Empty.

"I see…" Kenny murmured, then he released Levi's chin only to grab his hair and yank him to his feet. "The little dog has lost its will to fight, has it?" Dragging Levi toward Eren, Kenny forced his head in a dip near Eren's face. "If you want, I'll allow you to remove Eren's gag. It's your choice."

Skeptical of Kenny's true intent, Levi's hands cautiously rose to Eren's jaw— his fingers eased closer, centimeters from touching the leather— his fingertips brushed the strap—Levi's head was wrenched backward.

"My apologies for being unclear," said Kenny, not at all sorry. "There's one condition. No hands. Be versatile, runt. I know you know how."

"Tch." Ducking his head, hovering above Eren, Levi could see his face doubled in Eren's intense eyes. Those eyes were fiery, intimidating, and tapered into a glare at Levi. Pulled together, there were angry folds between Eren's brows, and his teeth were gritted.

Eren was very unhappy with Levi right now, and he only grew angrier the closer Levi's face was to his. Levi grimaced, head-on with the harsh waves of rage radiating from Eren. The less space there was between their faces, the deeper the folds between Eren's brows became and the harder the muscles in his jaw tightened. About to close the distance, Levi opened his mouth. Eren turned away.

"You little shit," hissed Levi. Couldn't Eren see this was the only way to get the gag off without using his hands?

Grabbing the sides of Eren's head, Levi bolted him in place. Then, against Eren's will, Levi latched his mouth on Eren's and sought past his lips, reaching for the bit with his teeth. A mix of Eren's blood and saliva rushed in. Levi choked, practically drowning in it. Then between his front teeth, he caught the bit. Awkwardly shaking his head from side to side with his tongue curled around the metal, he wrestled it loose. Levi was too far inside Eren's mouth—the corners strained, pushing the pliability of his flesh to its limits, and Eren's incisors accidentally scraped Levi's face. Sucking on the bit, Levi gave one last tug, and it came free.

"_Captain!_" shouted a newly unrestrained Eren, his eyes lit with rage. "Why would you do that?!" he demanded.

Levi opened his mouth to explicitly tell Eren how ungrateful of a little shit he was, but Eren wasn't done—

"I didn't care what they did to me!" he protested. "They can use whatever kind of torture they want!" Then his voice dropped, and he spoke low to Levi. "You shouldn't give in… Didn't you say you'd do what was necessary?"

Levi didn't have many words to begin with, but at that… he was wordless. Assuming Eren was angry because he resorted to an unorthodox mouth-to-mouth approach to remove the gag, Levi was surprised by the real reason for Eren's fit of rage. Levi spit out the bit. "You didn't want me to intervene?"

"I don't want them getting any satisfaction," he mumbled, then his intense eyes smoldered at Levi, "especially through you."

"You don't hate me for choosing Krista?"

The folds in Eren's browline softened. "No…" he quietly said. "I understand. She was a priority."

Levi was impressed, but at the same time not surprised. Eren wasn't the kind of kid who could be caged. That's what drew Levi to Eren in the first place. "I already made the choice to surrender," Levi told him. "I can't take it back."

Then Eren asked the question Levi was hoping he wouldn't. "…Why did you surrender for me?"

For the second time in a matter of minutes, words were lost. Levi had never been good with them, but he could usually think of some kind of nonsense to spit out when times called for it. Right then though, nothing came to mind. He didn't know the answer.

Unfortunately, Kenny seemed to think that he did and answered in Levi's stead. "Are you really so clueless, Eren? I've known Levi since he was a boy. He has weaknesses." His fingers still fisted in Levi's hair, Kenny pulled his head to the side to study him. "But there's something more, isn't there, runt?"

Unresponsive, Levi locked eyes with Kenny. Dragging his thumb along Levi's mouth, as if he really were acting as Levi's protective guardian, Kenny wiped away the excess spit and blood. "You see… Levi has something called moral standards. Needlessly killing people is against those standards. Needlessly causing pain is wrong too," he explained, as if he were teaching a class on what made Levi tick. "Now, this is only a guess… but I have the hunch that soiling an underage subordinate would also go against those silly values that he keeps…" A second later, he impishly added, "even if his libido levels are raging sky-high."

Kenny's mouth rippled with a grin, baiting him to deny it, but Levi said nothing. "Breaking someone of their life's principles is breaking their humanity. It can't be restored," he said. "There's crippling regret, the What-have-I-Done torment. And Levi knows that torment well. Why do you think he refuses to live with regrets?"

Kenny's other hand touched Levi's hip, his fingers provocatively toying with the holster strapped around him. Strongly clutching Kenny's wrist, Levi stopped him from removing his gear and hissed a one-word threat with fatal penalties stacked behind it. "Don't."

Kenny was undaunted. "Don't? Would you rather Eren touch you instead?" As response, Levi's jaw clinched shut, which only said more about Levi than anything else Levi could have done. "Go on, runt," Kenny wryly encouraged. "Why don't you take Eren for yourself?"

The crumbling ice under Levi's feet was deafening now, an avalanche, and Levi was about to fall through. He had to do something. Anything. Run towards Eren, run away from him. Kill Kenny. Not kill Kenny. The countdown was ticking on double-time. Levi had to make a decision. There was no time to think about it. "You've lost your touch, Kenny," he lazily remarked, knowing exactly where his words would land him. "Teaming up with MP was pretty pathetic of you."

"That right?" The merciless fingers tangled in Levi's hair forced Levi's face on Eren's waist, holding him there. "At least I'm no dog," Kenny spat. "Go on, little dog— Do what dogs do."

"_—Captain!_" cried Eren.

"Shut it, brat," snapped Kenny. "Let your superior have what he wants." An MP took Eren's hard-on, guiding him towards Levi's mouth and prodding his lips. "Open up," Kenny commanded.

Narrowing his eyes, Levi parted his lips a sliver. In a single thrust, all of Eren was shoved into his mouth, making his eyes tear as a physiological response. He hadn't been prepared for that.

"Oh…?" Kenny hummed, amused. "No gag reflex? How convenient. You could make great use of that."

"_Shut up!_" roared Eren, trying his best not to move and painfully rub Levi. "I swear I'll _kill_ you! _ALL_ of you!"

Kenny forced Levi further on Eren. "I see why you like this kid. He's a fighter," he crooned into Levi's ear, "but unless you have strength and a strategic mind, determination means little." Creating frustrating friction on Eren, Kenny guided Levi into a bobbling rhythm. Up. Down. Back again. "You really are all grown up, Levi. You're even doing grownup things."

Pleasurable frissons worked up Eren's backbone. He squirmed. Even forced, it felt wrongfully pleasant. The captain's mouth...on Eren. Levi was hot…wet… slippery… _Unbearable_. "_Nnng—!_" he squirmed, self-control shattering the more he reached and tried to grab hold. Eren breathed raggedly, his toes curling. His body was so rigid that he cramped up, as he desperately fought the instinctive reactions to the stimulus. _So hot…_ Eren panted, his heart violently pounding.

"C-Captain—!" he suddenly gasped.

Peering up at Eren through his dark eyelashes, Levi shot him a warning. _Don't you dare do it_, he seemed to say, _I'll kill you_. And Eren frantically tried to hold on. _Hold it in…hold it in…don't feel it_, he chanted to himself, _keep control. _Kenny rocked Levi. More friction. Less self-control. Reflexively Eren bucked forward to the very back of Levi's mouth. Levi's fingers clawed distractedly at Eren's arm, uncomfortable with the added strain on the muscles in his throat. But Eren was losing it.

"_Please…_" begged Eren.

"Please…? Please what?" taunted Kenny. "You'll have to be clearer." Like a puppet on a string, he controlled Levi's motions. Pulling him up and then pushing him back down. And Levi's mouth slid over Eren in just the right way.

Maybe it was because Levi was considerate enough not to let his teeth touch Eren, or maybe it was simply because it was Captain Levi's mouth consuming him that Eren finally lost it. Hips trembling, the gate to all of Eren's pent up tension snapped, and he flooded Levi's small mouth. Eren kept going and couldn't stop.

Yanking on Levi's hair, Kenny whipped Levi's face skyward. "Swallow like a good dog."

His mouth dripping with Eren's freshly hot tension, Levi did as he was told. Eren watched, horrified, as his Adam's apple bobbed with the gulp. Eren's hammering heart made an abrupt halt and lodged in his ribcage. "_I'm so sorry!_" he spluttered.

Kenny snapped his fingers, and promptly Levi was the ideal target for each gun in the room. Levi's silver eyes slit, and Eren could practically see the gears in his mind swiveling for a strategy. Kenny tousled his hair. "That's a good boy."

The look Levi threw at Kenny wasn't fierce or fiery. It was ice, unforgiving frostbite. With that one look, the room seemed to drastically drop in temperature, and bumps flecked Eren's forearms. But Kenny must be impervious to the cold, because he easily disregarded it. He shuffled a step, addressing Eren now.

"Here's the verdict, Eren," he said. "I'm going to release you of your bonds, but as you should expect by now there will be a condition." The dark glint in his eye flickered. "Show your superior that he's no longer in charge."

_What does that even mean?_ Eren looked at Levi. "Captain…?"

Turning his head to the side, Levi spat out leftover tension lingering in his mouth. "It's on you." His voice was husky, hardly a hiss. And the answer didn't help Eren decode what Kenny wanted from him.

Standing over Eren, Kenny patiently waited for an answer. Finally Eren nodded. The chains fell loose, then rubbing at his sore wrists, he slowly crawled to Levi, who was still knelt on the floor, the threat of guns surrounding him, and milky residue sticking to his lips. Eren slouched next to him. He hesitated before touching Levi's mouth and cleaning his chin. "I'm sorry… I don't have self-control."

Irritated by Eren's lack of self-discipline, Levi balked from his touch and wiped the back of his own wrist over his mouth. "You're right," he coldly agreed. "You don't."

"S-Sorry," Eren stammered again.

"But self-control isn't what we need." Levi locked his stare on Eren. "What we need is a titan."

—That's right! Eren could shift now! Just as he did with Mikasa and Armin, he could protect Levi from the guns by using his titan, and then under the coverage of the steam, they could slip away.

Levi's silver eyes shifted to an overly attentive Kenny. "He's not an idiot," he mumbled under his breath. "If your hand moves a centimeter too close to your mouth, I'm dead."

"What should we do?" asked Eren.

Warily watching the MPs around them, Levi murmured in Eren's ear. And even amidst all the danger and twisted intent closing them in, Eren was painfully aware of the way Levi's fingers brushed at the overgrown hair on the back of his neck and the way his warm breath ghosted his skin. "Play into their hand. Make them believe they're holding the better card," he said. "Eventually they'll lower their guard. Our opening will be fleeting. And if we miss it, I doubt we'll get another one. Wait for my signal—And _don't_ screw up."

"Understood." This entire time Levi had been acting. That's why he surrendered. It all made sense now. He was "playing into their hand".

"What are you waiting for?" impatiently demanded Levi. "Do what the bastard wants."

Eren blankly blinked, and Levi gave him that "are you an idiot?" stare. Yes, Eren was an idiot. He had no idea what to do. Brow twitching irritably, Levi grasped Eren's wrist. He intentionally steered Eren's hand to his gear. "Take charge."

Eren swallowed. Take charge… did that mean—? With a scooped palm, Eren gingerly cupped the V of Levi's legs. Wasn't touching Levi life-threatening? Eren felt like he was foolhardily holding a match to the fuse of an explosive. If he got too close, it'd detonate in his face. "Umm…" stumbled Eren. He tentatively stroked Levi's inner thigh. "Like that?"

Levi brushed off his hand. "Forget it." Eren couldn't do it. Levi surveyed their limited surroundings and saw nothing but the ends of hollow barrels glaring at them. He needed to figure another way. Levi had been betting on Eren, but Levi wasn't dealing with the most reliable guy. He should've expected hiccups. Then there was an unexpected force on Levi's chest. The effect was minimal but noticeable— Levi had swayed. Harder, Eren pressed against Levi's chest a second time. _Better_, thought Levi, _but still not good enough_.

Mustering a breath deep from the bottom of his stomach, Eren shoved Levi as hard as he could. He toppled backward with Eren on top of him, Eren's knees hugging Levi's thighs, hands squaring his shoulders. Then repressing the apology he wanted to cry, Eren unfastened Levi's pants. On cue, Levi's fist came swinging at Eren's face. It connected with his cheek, and he sprawled sideways.

"You overconfident brat," growled Levi. What Kenny wanted was to see Levi dominated while putting up a furious however failing struggle, ending up conquered so completely that Levi's pride would be nonexistent; and he wanted Levi's own subordinate to be the one to take it from him—Levi had known all this the moment he surrendered. That's why he had to make this believable, which meant swallowing his every crumb of pride. He was going to have to bear the utmost humiliation.

"Please don't fight, Captain!" pleaded Eren so convincingly that Levi wasn't sure he was acting.

As if they were a personal source of entertainment, Kenny absently observed Eren pin Levi's wrists above his head. Then bending into a crouch next to Eren, Kenny grabbed one of the lanterns lighting the room. "If you want to be a grownup, Levi, you'll have to play like a grownup." Kenny pointedly eyed Eren. "Grownup toys included." He set down the lantern and rose to his feet. Then he took the single wooden chair in the room, positioned the wrong way, and draped his arms on the backrest, knees straddling it, waiting for them to continue.

Eren's heart was racing. He took a breath through his nose as he picked apart the buttons of Levi's shirt. Why wouldn't his hands stop trembling? He wouldn't be able to appropriately play his role if Kenny detected fear. Eren wasn't sure which was scarier—Throat-Slasher Kenny or Levi's wrath. And the fear of Levi's wrath yanked Eren in two conflicting directions. Should he do what Levi said even though it meant doing something indecent? Or should he not do what Levi said in order to avoid Levi's wrath for acting indecently? Eren's thoughts weren't even making sense!

"I'll give you twenty minutes… and I blow his brains out," said Kenny impatiently.

Eren sucked in a sharp breath. "Don't you mean '_or'_ you'll blow his brains out?" he doubtfully asked.

The slanted grin Kenny flashed wasn't convincing. "Of course. A slip of the tongue."

Eren's mouth had gone stark dry, and he was pretty sure that his ribcage had been bruised from his heart violently pounding it. Beneath the strap of the maneuvering gear, Eren peeled open Levi's shirt, exposing his naked chest. Hypnotically, light and shadow dueled on his toned muscles from the dim flame wavering in the lantern. Eren's eyes traveled lower. Loosened trousers settled low on his hips, two indentations cut a defined V in his hard abdominal muscles, as if fingertips were firmly pressing into his skin. Eren swallowed, head buzzing.

There was a wolf whistle that heightened Eren's humiliation to the tips of his ears. "Humanity's Strongest Soldier taken by a little kid!" came a jeering hoot.

"No, Humanity's Strongest finally conquered by his sworn enemy," snorted someone else, "—a titan!"

"Yes…" slowly droned Kenny, expressionless, "the downfall of Humanity's Strongest." Kenny pulled down the brim of his hat, shadowing his eyes. "How pathetic."

Staring past Eren's shoulder at something, or probably nothing, because there wasn't much to look at, Levi took all their insults and slurs in silence. His droopy, silver eyes were empty, tired, like he had withdrawn far into a place Eren couldn't follow. Eren touched the heavy bags that, no matter how much sleep Levi fared, were permanently cut under his eyes,

"If humanity idolizes someone like him," remarked an MP squad leader, "doesn't that make the human race pathetic?"

"Perhaps you're not an imbecile after all," Kenny told him. "Humankind is indeed pathetic."

Eren couldn't listen a second longer. "No," he rasped. "That doesn't make humanity pathetic." Searching deep in Levi's jaded eyes for the place he had disappeared to, Eren tenderly caressed the side of his face. "Captain Levi makes humanity strong." —Captain Levi makes _Eren_ strong. Then lowering his head, Eren softly touched his lips to Levi's in a delicate kiss that Eren hadn't realized until now was long overdue. Sometimes it's the plunge of the downfall and the beauty of the final breakdown that awaken a person.

A moment passed, and there was no reaction. Another moment approached, and wherever Levi went to, he was back now. He broke apart from Eren, breathing shallowly against Eren's lips. Half-lidded silver eyes set on Eren's mouth. Questioningly, like he wasn't sure if Eren had really kissed him, Levi ran his fingertips along the jut of Eren's bottom lip. "Captain...?" Levi's mind settled on a decision. Taking a deep inhale, eyelids fluttering close, Levi drew Eren in, firmly locking their lips.

"Interesting…" muttered Kenny, not interested.

Earlier Levi had scolded Eren for having no self-control, but Levi was in abandon. He didn't even realize he was winding his arms around the small of Eren's back and opening his own legs, pulling Eren down on him until every part of their bodies was flush, like this was it. Like this was the last chance Levi would ever get to feel Eren. And Levi felt Eren. He felt Eren's heart slamming into his chest, knocking hard, as if it wanted to bust out of Eren and crash with Levi's own heart. He felt Eren's warmth, his natural intensity. Unconsciously Levi swept his tongue along Eren's boyish lower lip, drinking it in.

The crumbling ice had finally given way. Levi fell. Then he fell faster. Eren's passion was drowning him. It'd been a long time since Levi felt passion, but Eren was breathing it into him, filling his lungs to the rim. Without even trying, Eren overwhelmed Levi. Levi's chest swelled— almost painfully so, and Levi wasn't sure if he wanted it to stop. Then he glimpsed Kenny—

As signal Levi caught Eren's lip to get his attention. "Eren." Understanding the one-worded command, Eren obediently brought his hand to his mouth, his teeth sinking into his flesh.


End file.
